Published March 4th, 2023 - Fresno, California
A Fresno, California, police officer was shot Saturday afternoon. At approximately 5:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon, Fresno officers attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation. The operator, later discovered to have a lengthy criminal record, failed to stop. Police initially did not pursue, but tracked the fleeing vehicle via helicopter, monitoring the vehicle as it operated recklessly, running red lights, and cutting off other vehicles. Officers eventually rammed the fleeing vehicle, causing it to spin out. The operator got out of the vehicle and immediately opened fire on police, striking an officer in his ballistic-resistant vest according to police. In the exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police, the suspect was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. The officer who was struck in his ballistic-resistant vest was transported to a local hospital for observation and according to a statement by police is expected “to be OK.” The investigation into the officer-involved shooting is ongoing.
